To Be Brave
by FantasyWorld1
Summary: Hannah Grunberg witnessed first hand what a war could do to a country and its people. Germany is no longer safe for her, so she's was whisked away to England along with other endangered children on the Kindertransport. Now she lives with the Professor in the English countryside. There, she's just another lost soul in a war torn world, until she meets the Pevensies.
1. Chapter 1: Hannah's Exodus

_February 2nd, 1939_

 _Hannah grasped the small bag her mother handed her. It was filled with necessary belongings, and would soon be all she owned in the world. She wasn't allowed to bring a lot of material items, only those that would serve her well in a foreign country. Cold sweat crept down her neck as bodies shifted around her. The worries increased as she heard the sound of her thudding heart mixed with the echoes of footsteps._

 _She knew she would have to leave Germany eventually. It took her parents long enough to realize this—that they couldn't be safe. Their rights as citizens had been stripped away from them. First Hannah couldn't go to school with her friends, then she wasn't allowed to go to the park or movie theater, and then her Father lost his job as a dentist. Her Mother wasn't allowed to teach. They were very smart people, but they weren't smart enough to understand that they weren't wanted. Jews were no longer normal people._

 _As other children with tags clipped onto their clothing were being bordered on the train, Hannah's mother knelt down to clip her daughter's tag. She made sure it was tightly fixed onto her thin red coat. She fiddled with her daughter's braids, caressing her dark hair for what may be the very last time._

 _"Do you remember your English lessons, Leibling?" her Mother pestered in a quiet tone, "I want you to be able to communicate, even if it's only a little."_

 _"Yes," Hannah replied, though it wasn't very clear English with her strong German accent. She only learned a few words her mother knew, but they may help her communicate a bit._

 _Her mother's face fell. She has always been a spirited person, but it was rare to see a smile nowadays. She was always beautiful when she smiled; her cheekbones lifted and her short, curly hair framed her perfectly. After her father was taken away on that dreadful night, her mother couldn't smile. If only she could've seen it once before she left, though of course the Nazis had taken away her spirit too._

 _"Come here," her mother said, gently. Hannah nearly tackled her, as she wrapped her arms around her._

 _"I'm scared," Hannah whispered. "I don't know if I'll ever see you again. What if they take you away like they took Papa?"_

 _"Hush, hush," she tried to calm down her child. Tears streamed down he little girl's face. "Everything will be alright."_

 _"No, it won't!" Hannah whimpered. "I can't think of happy thoughts when I know I have to leave you!"_

 _"I'll never leave you. I'll always be right there," she softly pointed to the right side of her daughter's chest. "Your heart will have room for me, won't it?"_

 _"If it's big enough," she said, trying not to choke on her tears._

 _"There is no one with a heart as big as yours," her mother said, her voice low and mellow. "Make sure that the English don't allow you to forget who you are."_

 _The little girl slowly nodded. She nearly jumped when she heard the announcer's loud voice echo through the station. "Final call to all the kinder! Final call to all the kinder!"_

 _With that, the mother grabbed her daughter by her hands, pushing through the pool of people. A guard with a stern, menacing face checked her number before ushering onto the train. "By, my Liebling," she whispered before being dragged away._

 _She was shoved into a compartment with three girls. All wore long, slim skirts. A tall girl who couldn't have been older than sixteen, a girl who looked roughly about the other girl's age, and a little girl with her light hair twisted into a Dutch braid. All of the children nervously looked out the window, waving to their parents. Hannah joined them by the window, pressing her face against glass. She locked her eyes with her mother, who was all the way in the background._

 _This was the last image of her Mother she'd ever see. No smile, just droopy, watery eyes. There was no place for her in Germany, and she knew it. What she didn't know, was that this was one of the many moments that would haunt her forever._

"Hannah! Hannah!" a voice whined in her ear.

The girl was awoken by a rough shake. Even though she met her just a few moments ago, she felt as if little Aviva's hands were stronger than her own. No wonder her sisters sometimes got annoyed of her. This adorable button-nosed six year old really couldn't calm down!

"Are we in London? I could feel the train stopping!" she cried.

Hannah rubbed her eyes, the image in front of her started to get clearer. Aviva's older sisters Miriam and Dinah were looking at Hannah with a teasing smile. She got to know them the last half hour before she passed out into a deep slumber. Miriam was a sixteen year old girl with a very straight, mature posture. On the other hand, Dinah slouched in her seat, blowing the short strands of hair out of her eyes.

As Hannah got to know them, she found out that their family was orthodox. They lived in Munich, having to get to Berlin for the Kindertransport. They all agreed that life was peaceful for them until Hitler grew into power. Miriam told her that her family struggled very hard to get all three of them passports. She originally wasn't planning on going, but her chances to get selected increased as their father was put into labor. The girls found common ground through that, bonding as they also tried to calm the youngest.

"We won't be in London for ages," Hannah replied. "You're just thinking it."

"You've been asking us for the past five minutes," Dinah sighed. "I'm getting tired of you asking the same question thousands of times."

"Dinah," Miriam scolded in a gentle tone. "Just tell her that she should be more patient."

"I've been patient," Aviva said.

"No, you weren't," Dinah countered.

" _Dinah_ ," Miriam used a harsher voice.

"Alright," the girl sighed, mockingly. "You should be more patient."

Miriam rolled her eyes as her younger sister spoke. "We're not going to be there in a long time. We won't get to London right away. We'll ride on a Ferry from Holland on the Dutch border."

The little girl made a pouty face. Just by the way the three talked to each other, Hannah was able to read them like an open book. There was this inner desire to have at least one sibling to talk to. To grow up together and argue with to pass time. Even if she were going away, she'd still be alone.

"Do you know if you're going to get separated?" Hannah asked, as gently as possible.

The three sisters gave each other uneasy looks. They didn't need to say in words that they were worried—their eyes said it all. Despite all their bickering the last moment, they couldn't live without each other.

"I think we are," Miriam answered, unsure. "The last group of children was from an orphanage. I'm sure siblings were separated."

Aviva's eyes drooped, "I don't want us to be separated."

"We're probably going to be put in foster care," Dinah said, bitterly. "No one wants a girl who's already in their teens."

"Of course we'll all have a foster family even if we're not together," Miriam said, calmly.

"Who would want to take care of us?" Dinah said, before turning to Hannah with a sneer. "You're lucky you're ten."

Hannah looked down as she spoke. There was no feeling of shame, but a feeling of sympathy. She knew what it was like when you felt unwanted. It was all too familiar ever since the _Fuher_ declared that all Jews were _schwein_. Aryan classmates would throw rocks and kick dust into her eye. She heard their taunting voices echo through the walls of her mind: _"_ _Jüdisches Schwein! Jüdisches Schwein!"_

Her friends couldn't play with her; their parents wouldn't allow their child to be friends with a Jewish girl. This moment caused a black hole to grow in her heart, one that eventually took away her innocence.

"Don't say that," Hannah said.

"If it weren't for Hitler," Dinah spat, gritting her teeth as she spoke. "We wouldn't have had to leave."

" _Dummkopf,_ " Aviva agreed.

Miriam shook her head. Hannah couldn't help but smile. Children learned that "bad language" in school. When parents argued, they always called each other names because they were angry. Children easily picked them up, especially if they were the target of those words. She remembered the first time her Mother told her that she shouldn't be a _dummkopf_ and repeat those phrases. Though it was hard to ignore, Hannah made sure to not speak like that in front of her parents.

Memories of her parents seemed to flood her mind, even the ones Hannah usually couldn't remember. She lived in a small, but simple little house in the busy streets of Berlin. Since both of her parents were very smart and hard-working people, they didn't struggle as much after the events of the Great War. Hannah was well aware that most people were struggling and living off of whatever they could fend for. However, she had food on her table every day and didn't have to worry. Hitler thought that they didn't understand real true suffering, but that changed ever since the Nuremberg Laws were passed.

As the train rattled on, the rhythm of the wheels nearly lulled her into a slumber. She wanted to sleep. Her mother had woken her early this morning. At the thought of her mother, a knife stabbed Hannah's heart, jogging all the memories she'd tried to forget back into place. Her sluggish mind focused on nothing but her weariness, slowly making her memories hazy. The noise around her slowly deafened as her mind's theatre played a series of short films. She remembered when she'd tried to enter the park and been told she wasn't allowed, and that day when her teacher had called her to the front of the class and dismissed her as sub-human.

It was impossible to be accepted in Germany as a Jew. This caused her to wonder if she was going to have a hard time being in England because she was from Germany. She always heard of Jews being tortured just for their religion. Sephardic Jews who dared not to convert to Christianity in Spain were banished or persecuted. According to the Torah, Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians (the whole story of Moses was confusing to her, no matter how many times she heard it on Passover). Now Hannah was on her own exodus along with more than a hundred Jewish children.

As a dark curtain fell over her war-torn world, Hannah slept. _In a few days,_ she thought, _I'll be in England. There, I'll be safe. There, I'll be free._ With that, the train swept her away from the German border and into the unknown.


	2. Chapter 2: The Manor

May 28, 1940

 _Hannah squirmed under the covers of her scratchy bed sheets. Fire danced wildly in her mind, growing to the point where she could almost feel it were hands. The pain was sharp and hot. The eyes of her mother and father were paralyzed with fear. A man stood in front of them, his eyes blue with cruelty. When Hannah looked into them, her body tensed. His face was full of malice and murderous intent. The legs of the crooked cross adorned on the wrists looked animated, ready to snatch her as prey._

 _"Jews," the soldier spoke in a commanding voice. "From this moment on, this is no longer your property. I ask you to cooperate-"_

 _"I will not let you take our home," her father said, firmly standing his ground. Both, the mother and child, huddled together behind him as he prepared himself for whatever may come. "You have taken away my job and the right for us to live peacefully. I am not going to give everything that I've worked for without a fight."_

 _"I'm afraid you shall not, Dr. Grunberg," the soldier sneered. The girl gasped as her father was taken forcefully by the hand, a gun pointed to his back. The pain in his eyes was frightening. She watched the soldier pin him to the ground, tying his hands. "There is no place for you in Germany," was the cold, ghostly response. "There would never be a place for Jews."_

 _That was when the family looked down in defeat. There was no way to deny it. They were just going to be pushed away. Would it be best to just put a stop to this sooner?_

 _"That is what I thought," the soldier saw the scared looks of the family, smirking to himself. "Let this be a reminder of what I am capable of."_

 _In a blink of an eye, her father and the soldier were both gone. The girl's mother lost control of herself, falling onto her knees. In her dark pupils, she saw the reflection of the world. Bodies littered the streets. Shadows moved in and out of the bright lights. Piercing cries were heard. Glass showered the streets with ashes. Behind them, Germany burned._

Hannah gasped, lifting her head up in exasperation. She took a quick look around her darkened room. The bed sheets have become uncomfortably scratchy, but they always seemed to be that way. Her eyes darted around the room, landing on the photograph of her mother and father. They looked like the picture perfect family. She took the picture and examined it closely. It was very clear that she looked more like her mother. She had her mother's dark curly hair, while her father's was bushier and untamed.

The memory of her parents made her feel sick. It has been nearly a year since Hannah last saw them. While her mother was trapped in Germany, she had no idea what the Nazis were doing to her father. All she knew was that he was sent to work and hasn't heard from him since. Guilt overwhelmed her constantly. The journey to England was difficult for her, and it was all to keep her safe.

The light in the room flicked on. Hannah lifted her head, only to see a man with a small, pointed white beard, circular glasses perched on the tip of his nose, and dressed in a robe colored with crimson and gold. It was no other than Professor Kirke. As soon as she saw him, the gentle sparkle of his grey eyes calmed her. It was he who cared for her all these months, as she adjusted to living in England. If it wasn't for him sponsoring her, Hannah knew she wouldn't be there.

"Hannah dear, what is it with all this whimpering?" he said, raising his eyebrows. "I'm starting to get worried about those nightmares-"

The Professor was interrupted by a sound of footsteps rushing towards them.

"Sir, you don't have to get up and deal with the child. I could've been able to-"

A stern looking woman with brown hair streaked with grey walked into her room, her cold brown eyes softening at the site of the Professor with the girl. Hannah tightened, hoping not to get into trouble with . She knew how cross the woman could be. From the first glance the two shared at Liverpool Station over a year ago, Hannah knew that the woman did not like children.

"How many times have I told you not to disturb the Professor?" Ms. Macready asked, harshly.

"It wasn't really my fault," Hannah replied, avoiding her accusing stare. "It was the nightmare. I didn't mean to wake the Professor up."

"I'm sure you didn't, Hannah," the Professor reassured her, turning to Ms. Macready. "I'm sure that I'm not in need of any assistance."

Reluctantly, Ms. Macready headed out the room, leaving the two be.

"I was really trying not to have any nightmares," Hannah said sincerely. "I even avoided dairy as I read from the library."

"You can't just stop the nightmares from coming," the Professor explained in a calm tone. "They're creatures of the night, very unpredictable."

"My nightmares are nothing more than predictable," she replied, simply.

"They will disappear through time, like your accent."

Hannah chuckled to herself, knowing that this was true. She noticed that her German accent wasn't as sharp as it used to be, but there were those who still noticed that slight reminder of her past.

"There's that smile," the Professor said, "Hopefully you could think happy thoughts and sleep soundly. Think of how well you're improving with your English."

"That not much of a happy memory," Hannah laughed. "I can't go to sleep because of that."

The Professor rubbed his chin, exaggerating a thinking pose by cocking his eyebrow. "What about the summer holiday? Isn't that something to look forward too?"

"I don't think I'd be able to follow asleep while thinking of summer," she replied, slightly cheerful. "It'll make me hyper."

"Then perhaps a story will do," the Professor made his final decision. If any story was to put the girl to sleep, it would be The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was one of the first books she read in English. The pages were already torn because of the amount of times she read it.

With a hushed voice, he told her the story of the little girl named Dorothy who was whisked away by a tornado into the Land of Oz. He smiled with satisfaction as he saw the girl's eyelids were starting to close.

"Professor?" the girl asked, weakly. "Every time I finish reading this book, I wonder how it was possible for Oz to exist."

"The logic in books is different than ours, Hannah," the man spoke.

"But is it really possible for a magical world to exist?"

The Professor pursed his lips, looking down before answering her. "Why shouldn't it be?"

"But-"she said, startled at his response. "That's impossible, isn't it?"

"You never know unless you believe that the impossible is possible," the Professor said. "Now that is something schools don't teach."

Before the lamp was turned off, the Professor brushed Hannah's hair from her long eyelashes. Her breaths were deep, and before he knew it she fell asleep.

The Professor locked the door behind him, rubbing his eyes as he entered his room. Ms. Macready was there, fixing his bed sheets and fluffing his pillow. She looked at the Professor with a concerned expression.

"This has been going on for the past few months now," she whispered. "I'm starting to get worried that you'll be up every night."

"You don't have to worry about me," the Professor said, reassuringly. "A traumatic experience isn't something a child could easily forget."

With that, Ms. Macready left him to sleep. The rest of the night was silent, unlike the following morning. Dozens of tourists from the city showed up, the once peaceful manor growing crowded by the minute. The sound of footsteps shuffling through the wooden floors could be heard. Professor Kirke's manor was a landmark for tourists. The house was very old, and filled with antiques and paintings.

This was one thing Hannah liked about the manor. It looked like a house you could find in a fairy tale. It almost had a castle-like experience; grand with beautiful pavements. Decorating the manor was a garden surrounding the porch. Each item had a story to tell, and it was Hannah's duty to give the tour today.

She wore a presentable beige color blouse and frilly green skirt. Her dark hair was tied into a braid with two curls left dangling. She quickly tied the shoelaces of her black shoes, her hands fiddling with nervousness. This tour was very important for her, as they paid money specifically to support the orphanages that held Kindertransport children, so she needed to be a good host.

"The guests are ready for you," Ms. Macready told her.

Hannah lifted herself from her chair, leaving the room. As soon as the tourists saw her, she was greeted with looks of sympathy.

"It's the little Jewish girl," spoke a feminine voice.

"Welcome to Professor Kirke's Manor," Hannah said, clearly. "My name is Hannah, and I am going to be the tour guide for today. As a warning, the artifacts are not to be touched."

A few children that gathered around two paintings paused in their actions. The tourists' eyes lit up in awe as they saw the fascinating objects that looked old and fragile. Hannah remembered each of their stories by heart, as she told them many times. She led them through the corridors and some of the Professor's rooms. However, there was one room that Hannah loved showing off the most. There was a wardrobe that the Professor said he had made himself. Beautiful designs of dancing fairies and different creatures were carved on it.

"Be careful in this room," she led them through the entrance. "The floors are usually wet and slippery."

By the time Hannah made it there, her energy started to wear out. While the tourists were busy looking at would have sat down on the floor if it wasn't wet. She always wondered why the floors were usually slippery, and not only that, but cold. The windows were usually open to let it dry, but the shoes were always making squeaky noises.

"The wardrobe in this room, was made by the Professor himself. As you can see, creatures of mythology are delicately carved. This gives the wardrobe a magical presence."

The guests stared at the wardrobe with fascination, examining all corners of it. The tours usually stretched out to the middle of the day, and Hannah always felt exhausted by the time. She leaned against the wall, trying to tune out the murmurs. Hannah noticed a boy and a girl look up at her with curious eyes. The little boy had neatly combed brown hair and wore a plaid shirt with dress pants, while the girl wore a frilly pink dress and her blonde hair in pigtails. Both seemed innocent, looking no older than ten. The two looked at each other warily, and then at Hannah. This was nothing new to her, as she was used to those types of stares.

"It's not polite to stare," said a woman, who must've been their mother. She sent her an apologetic look. The lovely blonde curls on her hair reminded Hannah of her own mother.

Before things could've got more awkward, the tour came to an end. After a bunch of "thank you's," the guests left with satisfied looks on their faces. Once again, the manor was silent. The Professor went on to read his newspaper in the study room.

Meanwhile, Hannah blissfully sat herself on the sofa, resting her head until she heard a harsh voice call to her. "Don't think you're free, young lady. You have chores to do."

Hannah sighed, knowing there was no way to get out of doing chores with The Macready. She always pictured her as "The Wicked Witch of the West" in some situations. It was obvious that she didn't like children, especially when they were brought along during the tours. There was this nasty look on her face, a roll of the eyes, and sharp sigh. Even when Hannah couldn't understand her years ago, The, was a good fit for a nickname.

 _Liverpool, February 4th, 1939_

 _Just from the first glance of eye contact, little Hannah got a cold look from the woman standing in front of her. The woman had a strict disposition; her tall, poised stance made her feel intimidating._

 _"You may call me Ms. Macready," the woman said, sharply._

 _Hannah looked at her cluelessly. Her heart beat rate increased quickly. To this moment, she had limited interactions with the English people, only having arrived to this country just a few hours ago. What was she supposed to say? The woman looked at her with a smile that was clearly forced, causing even more tension in her body._

 _"The... Macready?" Hannah choked._

 _The woman furred her eyebrows at her, looking at her crossly. "Excuse me?"_

 _Hannah gulped, her eyes scattering around face. It didn't take her long to notice that what she said might have been incorrect. Foreigner or native, body language was a global language. The girl lowered her head in shame, avoiding her cold stare._

 _Hannah bent down on her knees, and started to whimper. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!"_

 _Ms. Macready tried to avoid the questioning faces of others. Her face turned pale as men, women, and children looked at her with a raised eyebrow. The wailing echoed through the walls of the station, not to her surprise._

 _"Child? Child?" she asked, her voice filled with tension. Ms. Macready took the girl forcefully by the arm, helping her up. She smiled with satisfaction as the crying immediately stopped._

 _"It's alright, just stop crying please," she said. "Would you like it if I get you some sweets on our way?"_

Even though this moment was quite nerve-wrecking to think about, Hannah couldn't help but giggle to herself at the memory. This was the origin of the nickname, one that she used as mockery. Ms. Macready shared a good resemblance to the green witch from Oz. If only she could use the bucket of water and melt Ms. Macready away.

The Macready believed that if Hannah was given a place at the Manor, then she should help take care of it. Even though that was fair, Hannah's strength was drained due to the tour. Talking to people and not being able to sit for hours was exhausting. The only thing she wanted to do now was lay down and sleep.

She hoped the squeaking noises the wet mop made didn't interrupt the Professor in his studies. He must've been tired as well, dealing with all the noise that disrupted his peace.

Just a few more inches, Hannah thought. She pushed her mop until it reached each corner of the kitchen. The fact that she was almost finished raised her adrenaline level. She reached a black surface, quickly scrubbing the dust until she realized that standing in front of her, was the Macready.

"There's some important mail from the orphanage that came for you," Ms. Macready informed her. "You're free to go."

With that news, Hannah picked up her speed until she was stopped by a scolding voice, "Don's run in these halls."

She continued on to her room, making sure not to step on the cracks. Ms. Macready had bat-like ears, able to hear even a soft giggle that would come from her room. Hannah passed the guest room until she made it to hers. A stack of letters were piled on her work desk. Those were mostly from the orphanage that were in the Kindertransport program. There was one in particular that she was looking forward to reading.

Her eyebrows raised at the sight of the scribbled name Dinah Klein. She quickly teemed the envelope open, looking closely at the words. Dinah wasn't the one for neat handwriting. The edges contained dried up ink stains. There were many spelling mistakes that were crossed out and corrected, but it was the message that was most important to her.

 _Dear Hannah,_

 _When I heard you and your sponsor were holding a tour as a charity event for our orphanage, I immediately wanted to write to you. I'm happy to hear you're helping us. I'm miserable here. I have no idea what is going on with my mother, and she hasn't written back. I constantly feel lost. You're lucky you don't have to work in a factory, unlike Miriam and I. Aviva is living with Jewish a family in London. I knew no one would've wanted teenagers._

 _The pictures of the Manor are beautiful! I stole a newspaper, and the first thing I saw was that house. I was jealous, but you're incredibly lucky. Not to mention you're humble, which is something I admire._

 _Any news from your Mother? Have you been listening to the radio? Did you know that Germany attacked France? It doesn't seem like the war is turning in our favor. On a happier note, hopefully the small things in life are turning in yours._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Dinah_

The first thing Hannah would've done was to write back, but a thought made her stop in her tracks. Her mother really hasn't written anything back lately. The last letter she received was dated February 7th, 1940. The only thing Hannah knew was that she was in hiding, but very little details were given. It was very vague, as if her mother was trying to protect certain information from her.

Hannah brushed those thoughts away, focusing her attention to her response. She took a pen and dipped it in the ink that laid beside her. It seemed to take hours for Hannah to write back. Her eyes started to close and she wanted to rest her head against the hard, wooden desk. Hopefully, when she did, she wouldn't have any nightmares tonight.

 **A/N: I hope the time difference makes sense and doesn't bother you. I wanted to get closer to the action. There will be more flashbacks of Hannah's journey in other chapters. She will also meet the Pevensies soon! Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm so sorry about not updating in such a long time. I wasn't able to access in a while.**


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting The Pevensies

Everyone knew that Hitler was gearing towards France, and the war was escalating to the point where things weren't looking so well for Hannah. There was a constant aroma of fear that took over. The news of possible bombings from Germany certainly distracted her. The fact that her own country was now threatening the country she learned to love gave her mixed feelings. This wasn't _her Deutschland._ Not the one she grew up in, at least.

Hannah stared down at her dinner, picking the food with her fork. A single fried egg lay on her plate, waiting to be eaten. The yolk dripped down slowly like lava from a volcano. However, a volcano would've been more interesting to look at. Rationing, as a person with a big appetite, was something Hannah did not like. It was introduced as a way to save food due to the war going on.

"Child, stop daydreaming," Ms. Macready snapped. "If the yolk drips I'll have you clean the entire dining room floor before you go to bed."

Her voice snapped Hannah back into reality. She picked a bite with her fork, not wanting to make _the_ Macready mad. A cool breeze of wind swept through the floor, causing goose bumps to appear on her legs.

The Professor shivered, "Looks like I didn't close the windows."

Before he was able to get up, Ms. Macready panicked and rushed to him, convincing the man to sit back down. "No, allow me. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Ms. Macready, I'm not _that_ old," the Professor joked, winking at Hannah. She liked his humor. The way he talked about himself in a sarcastic demeanor always lightened the mood. The door was shut with a loud slam, nearly causing the lamp to shatter.

"I wasn't joking," Ms. Macready said, in a softer tone. Hannah rolled her eyes at the way she talked towards the Professor, when she always was a bit harsher with her. "When it comes to you and that history novel you're writing, you're locked in that room for hours. Look at what it's doing to your health."

The Professor sighed, admitting his defeat. Hannah spent her days wandering alone, talking to herself and reading the books in the library. Meanwhile, the Professor was crammed in a room all by himself. She enjoyed the fresh air, kicking her football around like she used to when she played with her friends back in Berlin. This made her feel selfish. Hannah never thought of the Professor's health, and he was the man who cared for her all this time.

"My Father was a doctor," Hannah stopped to correct herself, "A dentist, but he still gave great advice about everything, even though he worked with teeth."

The Professor cocked his eyebrow, leaning in to hear her. He listened intently as she spoke.

"Would you like to play some football with me tomorrow?" Hannah asked. "Not sure if there'll be bad weather though."

"These legs don't work like they used to," the Professor patted them for emphasis.

"It would be good for you," Ms. Macready agreed.

"Now if you two are agreeing at something," the Professor said, smiling. "Then I guess football it is."

The three of them shared a laugh. Before Hannah knew it, she was in her blue night gown, her hair bushy and down.

As Hannah slept soundly, German bombers flew silently. They blended in with the dark night. In just a few moments, what would be known as the Blitz would begin. When a bomb fell, the ground shook. Then came the screams. The cities of England woke with a display of murderous fireworks, while the peaceful countryside was greeted with the bright, morning sun.

It was clear that Hannah's greatest fear came true that night, but she wouldn't know until morning. She was greeted with a golden ray of sunshine piercing through her window. The leaves that were visible from the outside were bright green, and trimmed grass was perfect for running on. After putting on a light shirt and shorts, she hurried down the stairs for breakfast.

"Good morning Professor," she greeted him, cheerfully. "Did you rest well?"

Her question was ignored. Hannah looked closely as she approached the dining room. The Professor was studying a paper with a serious expression on his face. She stopped in her tracks, slowly approaching him.

"Professor?" she repeated.

"Good morning, Hannah," the Professor replied. "There's a piece of bread and some jam left for you."

"You seem like you're in a rush," Hannah said. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm afraid not, Hannah," the Professor said, quietly.

Hannah raised an eyebrow. She listened to him intently as she spread some cherry jam on her bread.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The city was attacked last night. German bombers," he explained.

Hannah shivered. This was all too familiar. She couldn't believe what she heard. Was this really happening? Her stomach started to hurt. Slowly, she put her sticky piece of bread on the plate.

"Does it look like Germany is going to win the war?" Hannah asked, her voice shaking.

"You never know how the tables can be turned when it comes to war," the Professor stated.

He explained how the Government placed an ad about the bombing. It asked for those with large homes in the countryside to consider hosting children for safety, in case there were more attacks.

"At least you won't be so lonely anymore," the Professor said. "You'll have company. I don't know how long they'll have to stay. Attacks could go on for days, weeks! The children are nearly in the same position as yours. I expect you'll get along with them quite nicely."

"And you'll also have to help tidy the house for the guests," Ms. Macready said, firmly.

"So that means I won't get to play football with you, doesn't it?" Hannah asked.

The Professor shook her hand a bit to comfort her, looking at her with his gentle eyes. "There will be other children to play football with."

The news about German bombers attacking the English city was something that Hannah never expected would happen. She was sent here to be safe. England was _supposed_ to be safe. Now, it was just as vulnerable as any other European country.

After Hannah finished breakfast, Ms. Macready had given Hannah a list of more chores for the day before the four siblings arrived. Hannah rushed to do them with excitement. For the first time in years, she wouldn't feel alone. Even if she was in a large house with so many things to do, finding something to entertain herself shouldn't have been a hard task. Most of the activities, such as the games and sports equipment, would've been used to play with others. They were stored in dusty cabinets and closets, not touched in years. The Professor was so busy that he never had time to play with her. On the other hand, the Macready wouldn't have been interested.

The radio rung throughout the manor. While Hannah was cleaning, the voice of the wireless accompanied the sounds of the mop-sweeping and dish-washing. " _In just the early month of September, children are being evacuated to safer parts of the country due to the German bombers' unexpected attack."_ This was followed by some classical music played, the soft sounds calming the nervous atmosphere.

Hannah imagined what it must've been like for the children to find out that they had to leave their mother behind. This led her to think about the rage and frustration she experienced. Her mother said it was for her well-being. " _A mother's greatest blessing is knowing that her child will be safe,"_ were the exact words spoken. " _Please give me that blessing, Liebling."_

Blessings were very important to her mother. She strongly believed that a blessing would protect her. It was linked to the blessing being a ritual of the Jewish faith. Her mother believed that if you were blessed, then by God's Will, you would be protected. But where was God at this moment? Where was He when He was needed most?

"I need a sign," Hannah muttered to herself. "If you're real, then give me a distraction."

That distraction came in the form of the children. Hannah heard about how their father was fighting in the army. They didn't know if they were going to see him again. That feeling was one she had known for a long time.

The next day, the Manor was ready for the children's arrival. The separate guest rooms for the two boys and girls were organized and cleaned up. She was looking forward to getting to know the two girls. One was no older than sixteen, and the youngest girl was about 9 years old. Their older brother was seventeen, and they even had another brother around her age. She smiled to herself, knowing that she wasn't going to be alone.

There was a sharp knock from the door. Hannah quickly got up from her bed and got dressed. She had to help Ms. Macready with the horse and get it ready for the carriage.

The horse that Ms. Macready owned was a beautiful white horse with a silver mane that looked like it could've been a unicorn if it had a horn. One thing that the two of them had in common was their fascination with the creatures. Although Hannah didn't admit it, but whenever Ms. Macready flared her nose, it grew so wide that it reminded her of a horse's nostrils. If there was one thing that the woman loved the most, it was her horse she named Adam.

The air surrounding the small barn was damp and had a nasty stench. Hannah made sure to cover herself up so the poop wouldn't get to her skin. Scraping it wasn't a task she enjoyed to do. Ms. Macready looked sweaty by the time they cleared all the dirt.

"It looked like Adam has been eating a lot," Ms. Macready chuckled, turning to the horse. "You're getting a bit fat, aren't you?"

Watching how she cared for the horse made Hannah realize that there was more to _The_ Macready, the supposedly evil wicked witch of the west. There was a softer side in her. The way her eyes gleamed when she looked at Adam and rubbed his back.

"I always thought he could've been a charming unicorn," Hannah laughed.

"A beauty, isn't he?" Ms. Macready smiled. "I used to take riding lessons, and when I was eighteen, my father gave Adam as a gift. Now he's getting a bit old, like myself."

"You surely don't look it," Hannah said, sincerely. "You don't look past forty!"

Ms. Macready chuckled. Her voice, for once, sounded sweet and genuine. She couldn't believe that she had a nice conversation that didn't end with her telling to do a chore. That made her think, _perhaps The Wizard of Oz would've ended differently if Dorothy tried to be friends with the Witch._

"To be honest, Hannah," Ms. Macready said. "This was a nice trip."

"I always thought you didn't like anything," Hannah admitted. "It always looked like you never liked me."

"Well, now you saw a different side of me," Ms. Macready replied. "You shouldn't be so quick to judge someone," she paused to adjust the reigns on Adam, "Besides, it's best to make friends than enemies, especially in a time like this."

Ms. Macready was already in the carriage. Hannah untied the dirty wrapper that was over her formal clothes. She wore a blue dress that went down to her knees with no sleeves. Her hair was tied in a braid due to the hot weather, two curls dangled on the side. Hannah sat straight in the carriage, watching the countryside whizz past her. She even saw some cattle and bigger farms; much bigger than the Professor's. The big patches of green grass sparkled in the sunlight. Even though it was beautiful, it quickly became a boring sight after what seemed like hours of traveling.

 _Professor Kirke must've written a whole novel by now_ , Hannah thought. Adam moved quickly, but his steps were quite heavy and it took some force for him to push the wooden carriage. As the time flew by, Hannah was more anxious about meeting the children. She wondered if they really would've been a pleasant lot. Maybe there was even a boy or girl her age? There weren't many twelve year old children that lived near the Manor.

It looked like she was going to get her answer soon, however. Hannah spotted a few metal patches not to far off.

"The train tracks!" she cried. "We're nearly there! Come on, Adam! You could do it, we're just a few more feet away!"

The horse neighed loudly, as if he was answering to her. It really did look like he was moving faster. He picked up his head and neck, pushing the carriage faster.

Soon Hannah approached a familiar site. Her head slightly spun a bit, making her feel nostalgic. Adam started to slow down when Ms. Macready stopped flicking her reigns. In front of her, was the same station that the two of them used to get to the Manor from Liverpool two years ago. Hannah blinked at the four faces in front of her. They were the only people there. Tags were clipped onto their clothing. Hannah looked down, touching the left side of her coat. She remembered wearing one herself.

"Small favors," Ms. Macready muttered to herself.

The horse came to a stop, allowing Hannah to look closer at the faces. The eldest boy had blonde hair and blue eyes; the picture perfect Aryan. His hand wrapped around the youngest sister protectively. She lowered her head in submission, looking no older than eight. There was a boy with dark hair and eyes who had a moody expression. Hannah noticed the eldest sister's beauty right away, but she looked quite scary when she started to scold her younger brother.

"Ms. Macready?" the eldest boy spoke up.

"I'm afraid so," she replied, looking at there suitcases. "Is this is it, then? Haven't you brought anything else?"

"No m'am," the eldest boy said, politely. "It's just us."

Ms. Macready scoffed to herself. "Small favors."

Hannah stood up to to help the children. She couldn't help but smile as they looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"My name is Hannah," she introduced herself. "I've been staying with Professor Kirke for a long time."

"Nice to meet you Hannah," the eldest boy said, letting his hand out to shake after he fit his luggage into the carriage. "I'm Peter Pevensie."

The eldest girl pushed her suitcase in gently. "That's Susan," he continued.

The little girl with the short hair that reached her shoulders eagerly approached Hannah, "I'm Lucy!"

"And-" Peter started.

"I'm Edmund," the dark haired boy finished for him, glaring at his older brother. "I can introduce myself, and why do you sound so weird?"

Hannah stepped back a bit, startled by his comment.

"Ed!" Peter scolded.

Hannah knew right from the start that she had to be wary of the boy. He seemed to be quite rude and she felt like he didn't want to be bothered. She tried to look into the boy's dark eyes one more time, letting out her hand. Once again, Hannah was rejected.

It must've been hard for the family to leave their home because of the war. She certainly empathized with them. That boy was probably hit hard because of his Father.

The ride back to the Manor seemed to be quicker than the ride to the train station. Hannah got along with the eldest children quite nicely. The youngest was friendly and sweet, like a little sister Hannah always wanted. Edmund was just sulking in his seat. Hannah didn't want to bother with him yet.

"Come on. Good boy, come on!" Ms. Macready praised the horse. Slowly, Adam pulled closer and closer the Manor.

The way they reacted to the Manor made Hannah giggle. They had the same wide eyes and smiles, but Edmund didn't look so pleased.

"It looks like a castle!" Lucy exclaimed.

"It _does_ look exquisite," Susan agreed.

Hannah raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"How do you not know what that means?" Edmund piped up from the back cart.

"I think the question is, if _you_ know what it means," Peter teased.

"Of course I do," Edmund answered back.

The five of them entered the Manor. Hannah couldn't stop watching the Pevensies as their jaws dropped. It was a common reaction; she watched tour guests gasp at the site of the artifacts, the paintings, and sculptures. Ms. Macready approached them quite rapidly, interrupting the silence.

"There will be no shouting!" she said. Hannah giggled softly, already knowing what else she was going to say. She stood in her best posture, mouthing each and every word. "Or running! No improper use of the dumbwaiter!" Lucy smiled at Hannah when she copied her movements, "No-!"

Hannah nearly jumped as Ms. Macready's voice echoed through the walls. She turned to see Susan, her eyes gleaming with fascination at a sculpture. Susan paused in her tracks, lowering her hand.

"Touching of historical artifacts!" the woman continued. "And above all," she turned to face the children, furring her eyebrows. "No disturbing of the Professor!"

With that, Ms. Macready was on her way to set up for supper. Hannah lead the four Pevensie siblings through the corridor, opening her bedroom. There were two extra beds already laid beside her own.

"This is going to be the girl's bedroom," Hannah spoke up. "Peter, Edmund, your bedroom will be next door in the guest room."

"The lady scares me a bit," Lucy admitted.

"In any case it makes you feel better, you may call her _The_ Macready," Hannah replied, giggling a bit.

" _The_ Macready?" Edmund repeated. "Why would you call her that?"

"It's just a joke," Hannah said. "She's not _that_ bad once you get to know her."

"Don't worry," Peter reassured me. "He's just like that."

Hannah certainly hoped he wasn't _always_ like that.

For the rest of the night, Hannah managed to get to know the Pevensies quite well. She gave the Pevensies a tour of the Manor. Edmund didn't join them, but that was alright with her. She didn't want to deal with his attitude anyway.

Before Hannah knew it, the day was coming to an end. She led the sisters to their bedroom, showing them where to put their belongings. The echo of the radio accompanied them as they got ready for bed.

" _German aircraft carried a number of attacks on Great Britain last night. The raids, which lasted for several hours-"_

The radio was shut off by Susan. Hannah was thankful for that, since she did not want to hear anything about German attacks anymore. Each time she heard about Germany, the thought of homesickness plagued her mind. She missed the old Germany. Hannah had no idea what was going on back home.

"I was getting tired of hearing that anyway," Hannah said.

Lucy, who was already in her pink nightgown, seemed like she couldn't go to sleep. "The sheets feel scratchy."

"I always feel it too," Hannah agreed. "You'll get used to it."

Susan sat beside her sister, while Peter and Hannah stood near them. "Wars don't last forever, Lucy."

Hannah looked down, "Although, it might seem like it. You just have to hope."

"Yes," Susan nodded. "Let's hope that we'll get home soon."

"Yeah, if home's still there," Edmund piped up from across the room.

Just from the first glance, Hannah didn't like the boy, but did he have to make himself so unpleasant?

"Isn't it time you were in bed?" his sister asked, sighing.

"Yes, _Mum_ ," Edmund retorted.

"Ed!" Peter scolded. His scowl quickly turned into a gentle smile as he spoke to Lucy. "Don't worry, Lu."

"Peter's right!" Hannah acknowledged him. "This place is huge! I've lived here for a long time and I haven't run out of things to do. We'll all have fun."

"Yes," Peter said, smiling. "Tomorrow's going to be great, really."

With that, the boys left the room. The light was turned off, both of the sisters sound asleep. Before Hannah fell asleep in her room, she closed her eyes, taking into reality that she wasn't going to be alone.

 **A/N:** **Guess who jut met the Pevensies? That's right! The chapter finally arrived! Hannah got to meet the future Kings and Queens of Narnia. I was so excited to write this chapter and I wanted to get to it, but I was debating on the time and how many more moments of Hannah's life before the Pevensies I should include. I just wanted to make her a little more human by having an eventful life that didn't involve the other characters. I guess I did that enough in the last chapter. Hopefully you guys liked it, and stay tuned for future updates! Love you guys!**


	4. Chapter 4: The World In the Wardrobe

The sound of rain drops tapping against the window caused Hannah to let out a sigh. She traced small images of the flowers in the Professor's garden with her fingers. Hannah and the Pevensie were in the living room. They were told not to disturb the Professor while he was in his studies. Peter and Susan were reviewing some of the books in the library, while Edmund tried to fix a chair he nearly broke during breakfast. Hannah was used to having the Manor all to herself, but this was a nice change.

A light tap on the shoulder caused her to jump. Lucy, the youngest Pevensie, looked at her with bright, eager eyes.

"You look rather lonely," Lucy noticed.

Hannah fixed her posture and turned to the girl, smiling warmly at her. "I'm used to it. I've always been alone here anyway."

"You don't have any siblings?" the little girl asked.

Hannah shook her head. "I've always wanted a brother or sister. It looks like you always have someone to play with."

Lucy looked over at her older siblings. Peter seemed rather miserable; his sister spoke to him as if she was giving him a lecture. Susan had a large dictionary in her lap. Hannah wondered if the Pevensies always acted like this at home in Finchley.

"It gets harder when they're older," Lucy said. "They used to play a lot with me when I was younger."

There was a short silence between them. Lucy's eyes grew bigger as she looked at the beautiful carvings in the wall. The way the Professor's manor was designed always made Hannah feel like she lived in a castle. There was a reason why so many tourists came to visit; it was as old as the Professor itself.

"The only time it's not so quiet is when tourists come here," Hannah told her. "Do you see the paintings?"

Lucy nodded, listening intently. "The Professor collected them. They all have stories to tell; people are fascinated by them."

"How long have you lived here?" Lucy asked.

"More than a year," Hannah said, shrugging.

Lucy raised an eyebrow at her. The light in her eyes slowly dimmed down. Her face melted into what was a sympathetic expression. It was fair to say that there was a mysterious quality in Hannah. She didn't know much about her expect she lived with Professor Kirke, but the reason behind that was unknown.

"What about your family?" the girl asked again.

Hannah looked down immediately after she heard the question. Her _family. Where_ were they? Was her Father still "working" in Germany? Was he even _working_ at all? Perhaps there was a bigger meaning to it. These thoughts flooded her mind, and her memory quickly brought her back to her parents' whispering at night. She heard the sound of their murmuring voices in her head clearly. ' _More of our neighbors are disappearing at night, Jakob! What if they come for us next?'_ Her mother would scold her Father as he tried to remain calm.

"Well," Hannah muttered, but she was interrupted by the sound of a feminine voice.

"Gas-tro-vascular," Susan's voice piped up from the other side of the room. She read from the Professor's Latin dictionary, one that Hannah looked at quite a few times, but got bored of easily. She was surprised that there was someone who enjoyed looking at them. Peter, however, didn't look like he was entertained. "Come on, Peter. Gastrovascular," she urged her brother.

"Is it Latin?" Peter said, shrugging.

"Yes," Susan answered.

"Is it Latin for the worst game ever invented?" Edmund looked up from his side of the living room. The sound of his smug voice irritated her. He had this twinkle in his eyes as he spoke, as if he knew what he said was hilarious. Even though Hannah did chuckle a bit, she stopped when she heard Susan slam the book shut, shooting a glare at her younger brother.

"Actually, Gastrovascular stands for the functioning of the body and circulation," Hannah stated, reciting from her memory.

She received surprised looks from the Pevensies, except from Edmund, who simply rolled his eyes and retorted, "No one cares!"

"I think we could all use a lesson from Hannah," Peter said, smiling kindly. Hannah returned his smile while Edmund continued to sulk in his seat.

"Not all of us may appreciate it," Susan said, glancing over at her younger brother again.

"Come on, even _you_ would know that guessing words is boring," Peter said.

Lucy stood up and approached Peter with pleading eyes. "We can play hide and seek," she suggested.

"But we're already having so much fun," Peter said, sarcastically. Hannah giggled at his response, but stopped when she heard Susan sigh.

"There _are_ so many places to hide here!" Hannah said, looking around the Manor for some possible hiding spots.

"Come on Peter, please?" Lucy begged. She looked at him with adorable puppy-eyes. If Hannah were in Peter's position, she knew she would give in right away. His face softened at his sister's expression.

Peter looked at the two knowingly, opening his mouth to count. "One, two, three..."

Hannah's eyes lit up. Not once during the time spent in the Manor did she have a chance to have fun with others. Having to rely on your imagination to entertain yourself in such a huge home was tiring. She was glad Susan gave into the idea of hide and seek, but there was one person who had a sour expression on his face.

"What?" Edmund said, in disbelief.

"Don't you want to have a bit of fun?" Hannah asked, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

" _I'm_ not a little child," Edmund answered, smugly.

Hannah scoffed. "You're surely acting like one."

Edmund looked her in the eyes without saying a word. His mouth parted like he wanted to say a retort, but was interrupted by the sound of Peter's voice echoing the room. At this moment, Hannah felt her lips shift into a smirk. Edmund furred his eyebrows at her before she left to find a place

"Five, six, seven, eight..."

The sound of Peter's voice made Hannah's heart race. She decided to leave him there and quickly tried to find her hiding place. She heard a loud slam on the table, glancing at Peter-who already stood by the wall-before following Lucy. Hannah knew all of the good hiding places, as she used them mostly to escape chores when Ms. Macready acted like _The_ Macready. Not all of them worked, but there were some times when luck was on her side. If only she didn't hear them running; they weren't allowed to in the first place!

Hannah ended up on the right side of the corridor, where Susan already fit inside a little bench. She had to admit, that was very clever. Her chest grew heavy with anxiousness. Somehow, all of the good spots seemed to have escaped her memory. It must've been the rush of excitement.

"Come on!" Lucy urged her.

She heard the girl's voice from the stairs. Hannah quickly followed the sound of Lucy's footsteps and ended up on the second floor. Another set of heavy light footsteps seemed to follow them. Lucy approached a pair of curtains, but only to be pushed away by Edmund. Hannah made a fist as he stepped over and grabbed the curtains roughly.

"I was here first!" he claimed.

"No, you weren't!" Hannah said, defensively. "What's your problem?"

"What's yours?" he answered, with attitude written all over his lips.

Hannah sighed, gently taking Lucy by the hand. "Come with me."

The two of them walked off. Peter's voice was loud and bouncing off the walls. Her legs carried her to the corridor. Hannah knew one of the rooms should've been opened. Panicking, she and Lucy checked to see if the doors were locked. Time was running out since Peter was reaching the hundreds. The knob of one door didn't budge, nor the next. That was, until Lucy opened the last door in the corridor. The door swung open and revealed the room with with the wardrobe.

Hannah felt a little chill. The windows of the room were open. Lucy looked at the wardrobe as if she was mesmerized by it. This room hasn't been opened for weeks, and there was a huge white sheet protecting it from getting dirty. Hannah gulped; she wasn't supposed to be here.

"Lucy, we're not supposed to be in here," Hannah warned her.

"But this is the best hiding place!" Lucy exclaimed, in whisper.

"Lucy!" Hannah repeated.

"Hannah!" Lucy said, looking at her with those big eyes.

Hannah looked away with guilt. Before she knew it, the sheet was pulled and fell on the floor. Lucy's eyes widened as the wardrobe revealed itself. The little girl's smile broadened in amazement at the beautifully carved designs of fairies and flowers. Lucy opened the knob and stepped inside, still gazing at the wardrobe. Hannah followed her in. She felt the fuzz of the costs tickle her skin. There were dozens of old coats hanging alongside one another. It seemed to be an endless line of fur until she felt something cold and prickly turn around.

She jumped at the sound of Lucy's voice. "Turn around! You ought to see what's in this wardrobe!"

Hannah turned around, and as she did, her jaw dropped. There was a tree in front of her-dozens of them, in fact. An entire _forest_ of evergreen trees sprinkled with the purest white snow she ever saw. Tiny crystal-like snowflakes gently fell from the icy-blue sky. It was a winter paradise.

Lucy looked back, only to see the pathway that lead back to the Manor. Hannah couldn't peel her eyes off the site.

"Isn't this incredible?!" Lucy exclaimed. "Why don't we look around?"

Hannah glanced at the pathway, and then at the forest. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, pinching herself. Perhaps this was just a dream? There was no way that this world was real.

"Are you alright?" Lucy raised an eyebrow.

Hannah opened her eyes and smiled. It was confirmed. She was sure that she wasn't dreaming now. The little girl's voice brought her back to reality.

"Yes," Hannah said, giggling. "Let's look around."

The two girls took a hike, trotting through the snow. They giggled with joy when they saw their footprints carved into the snow. Some fell on Hannah's hair, immediately turning wet. It took a while for this foreign world to sink in to Hannah's thoughts. Her wish of a magical came true. She was Dorothy and this was her Oz.

As they walked ahead, Hannah noticed an orange light reflecting from above. She turned to see a lamppost. It looked rather odd compared to the magical surrounding. However, something made them stop in her tracks. A sound of light footsteps seemed to be following them. It was quiet-way too quiet. Instinctively, Hannah and Lucy hid behind the lamppost.

A gasp escaped from Hannah's throat as a shadow with horns whizzed passed them. The creature it belonged to let out a scream, causing the girls to do the same. A couple of wrapped packages were dropped on the snow when the creature hid in fear.

Hannah followed behind Lucy, who slowly approached the long-eared creature. His legs were covered in fur like an animal's, but half of his body was that of a human feature. He had long, pointy ears and a curly brown beard. He looked at the two with a shocked expression. Hannah tensed a bit as Lucy held the package up to the creature's view.

"Uh.. Um.. Aah," the creature panicked, looking quite startled.

Hannah realized that he was harmless and just as startled as themselves. He wasn't looking for a fight.

"We're you hiding from us?" Lucy asked.

"No... I was just, um... I didn't want to scare you," the creature stuttered.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you?" Lucy asked again.

That was when something hit Hannah. She remembered reading somewhere about creatures of myths from the library. She _never_ imagined she'd be standing in front of one herself.

"Oh, I know!" Hannah said. "You're a satyr, aren't you?"

The creature raised an eyebrow, looking slightly offended, but replied gently. "They're distant cousins. I'm a _Faun_."

"Oh, sorry," Hannah replied, looking down.

"No need to apologize," the _faun_ said, sincerely. "And what are you two? Are you some kind of beardless dwarves?"

Hannah blinked, startled by his comment. Unlike the faun, who remained polite when she misjudged him, she _definitely_ looked offended. She backed up, looking at him with a cross expression, "Dwarves?" she questioned.

"We're not dwarves, we're girls! And I'm the tallest in my class!" Lucy said, matter of factly.

"You mean to say that you're... Daughters of Eve?" the faun asked, curious.

Hannah wasn't sure how to reply. The questions he asked were very strange. She didn't know why he needed to know the name of her Mother, and it certainly wasn't _Eve_.

"My mum's name is Helen," Lucy said, confused.

"Mine's Anne-Marie," Hannah answered, unsure of what to think.

"Yes, but are you in fact... human?" the faun asked again, listening intently for an answer.

"Of course," Lucy answered.

"What else would we be?" Hannah asked.

"Perhaps a fallen star, or a half breed of some sort," the faun said.

"Well, we aren't any of those," Hannah said, honestly.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story," Hannah admitted.

The faun smiled at her, reassuring her with a welcoming gaze. "It's not every day that a human stumbles upon here."

Hannah let out a deep breath, trying to think of a way to tell him as clearly as possible. She stuttered a bit as she spoke, "Well, we were playing a game called hide and seek where one person tries to hide and the person that counts tries to follow them. We hid in the wardrobe in the spare room-"

"Spare Oom? Is that in Narnia?" the faun asked.

Hannah didn't know what to say. So many questions came to her mind at once. Did the faun misinterpret what she said? And what was Narnia? That was a name she never heard before.

"What's Narnia?" Lucy voiced Hannah's thoughts.

"Well, dear girls, you're in it! Everything from the lamppost, all the way to Castle Cair Paravel on the Eastern Ocean, every stick and stone you see, every icicle is… Narnia," the faun explained. It seemed to Hannah like he had a very amused expression. Still, Hannah finally found the name of her Oz. It was Narnia. A name that fit so well for such a strange land.

"This is an awfully big wardrobe," Lucy muttered to Hannah, who kneeled down to the girl's height.

Hannah nodded, "And to think we're even _in_ a wardrobe!"

"War Drobe?" the faun repeated to himself, confused. He shook his head and shrugged it off, turning his attention back to the two girls. "I'm sorry, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus."

Hannah looked back at Mr. Tumnus with confidence, her suspicions slowly washed the way. Lucy let out her hand immediately, and Hannah followed, looking at the faun with a smile.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Tumnus," Lucy said. "I'm Lucy Pevensie."

"I'm Hannah," Hannah introduced herself, though she was a bit hesitant about her surname. She didn't know how Lucy would react because it was clearly German, but she let her nerves calm down. "Hannah Grunberg, Mr. Tumnus." As she spoke, her German accent caused Lucy to look at her with a raised eyebrow, but not a word came from the girl's mouth.

There was an awkward silence. Mr. Tumnus looked at the girls' hands curiously. He cocked his head at the stretched out hands. Lucy and Hannah smiled wider to make him feel comfortable, but he still didnt respond.

"You shake it," Lucy said, clarifying for the bewildered faun.

"Why?" Mr. Tumnus asked.

The two girls looked at each other with a raised eyebrow. They were unsure of it themselves.

"I dont know," Lucy shrugged. "People do it when they meet each other."

"It's a social custom," Hannah added.

Mr. Tumnus relaxed and took both of their hands at the same time. He accepted Lucy's handshake with his right hand and Hannah's with his left. He struggled to hold his packages while he shook their hands rather awkwardly, but it still made them smile. They took his hands and swung them back and forth jokingly. Lucy laughed at this. Hannah noticed that she had a very contagious giggle, as she laughed along with her.

The faun cleared his throat and picked up his umbrella. "Well then, Lucy Pevensie and Hannah Grunberg from the shining city of War Drobe in the wondrous land of Spare Oom, how would it be if you came and had tea with me?" he offered.

"Thank you very much!" Lucy said, hesitantly. "But we probably should be getting back…"

"The others must be worried sick," Hannah said, following along.

"Yes, but it's only just around the corner and there'll be a glorious fire, with toast and tea and cakes," Mr. Tumnus pleaded. "And perhaps…we'll even break into the sardines."

Hannah thought for a moment. The faun's offer sounded very pleasing indeed, but it seemed so strange just to follow him. However, when she looked at Mr. Tumnus and his pleading eyes, she thought it was for good intensions and he meant no harm.

"I don't know," Lucy began.

"Come on. It's not every day I get to make a new friend," he insisted.

Lucy and Hannah looked at each other before they made the decision. The thought of being surrounded by a nice fire place was a pleasant thought. Hannah's arms were covered in goose bumps. With that, Mr. Tumnus took the girls by their arms and lead them to his home. The snow blew in Hannah's face, causing her to hold on even tighter. However, before she knew it, they stood in front of an area surrounded by rocks that covered the entrance to his home.

There was a wooden door carved. Mr. Tumnus brushed the snow off of his umbrella and opened the door. As soon as I walked in, I felt warm. The house was small and cozy. There was a round table in the center decorated with plates and flowers, some shelves stacked with china and books. The heat from the fireplace was very satisfying and created a welcoming feeling.

Hannah followed Lucy and noticed that she was looking at a photo of a faun that looked much older than Mr. Tumnus, but had nearly the exact same face. The faun in the photo had the same kind eyes as him.

"The faun in this picture, is he your father?" Hannah asked, politely.

"Yes, he is," Mr. Tumnus answered.

"He has a nice face," Lucy said. "He looks a lot like you."

"No… I'm not very much like him at all," Mr. Tumnus said, rather dismayed.

Lucy looked down, trying to blink some tears away. "My father's fighting in the war."

"What about your father, Hannah?" Mr. Tumnus asked, looking at her with friendly eyes.

She thought a moment before answering. Lucy glanced at her curiously. Hannah looked down, "My father is fighting to live."

Lucy and Mr. Tumnus looked at her sympathetically. "Aren't they all?" Mr. Tumnus said, patting her back.

"I haven't seen him in a long time," Hannah said. "I don't know where he is either, or if he's dead."

"My father went away to war," Mr. Tumnus said. "That was a very long time ago… before this dreadful winter."

Hannah pursed her lips. She always loved winter, and the snow in Narnia just made her love it even more. There was something magical about it here.

"Winter's not all bad," Lucy said, cheerfully. "There's ice-skating, snowball fights-"

"Sledding!" Hannah added.

"Oh, yes!" Lucy acknowledged.

Hannah smiled awkwardly. Ever since she came to live with the Professor in the Manor, she was exposed to the Christmas traditions. The story of Jesus was taught to her, something that she would've never learned about in her Jewish household. To make her more at home, the Professor allowed her to light a Menorah for eight nights, letting the holy candles light up the dining room. It was something that made her feel included something she never felt in Germany. Her skin boiled as she thought of this.

 _Germany never excepted people like me,_ she thought. _Perhaps they never will._

She opened her mouth slightly, a bit nervous. "Actually, I don't celebrate Christmas."

Lucy turned to her. "Then what _do_ you celebrate?"

"Hanukkah," Hannah answered, trying to fight the tears in her eyes. "I had to leave my country just because I celebrate a different holiday. My father is fighting for his life because he doesn't celebrate Christmas. I'm only here because for generations, my family lit candles for eight days!"

The girl knelt down, wiping the tear that leaked down her cheeks. She choked on her tears. Lucy cocked her head in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Hannah sighed, knowing that this was the time to reveal who she truly was to the little girl. It was something she deserved to know.

"I'm from Germany," Hannah said. "I left because I was Jewish. It's not safe there for people like us. People like _me_."

"But you're here now," Lucy comforted her. "I don't know what's going on there, but you're safe in England.."

Mr. Tumnus looked at the girls in complete bewilderedness, scratching his head while they shared the moment. To them, it seemed like no one else was there until the faun cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but can you explain what _England_ and _Germany_ are?"

Hannah and Lucy looked at each other and giggled. Of course the Faun was clueless because he had no knowledge of their war-torn world.

"There's a huge war going on," Hannah explained. "Germany caused it and England is fighting against it. It's all because of this awful dictator named Hitler." To describe him, Hannah held a finger above her mouth horizontally to represent his mustache. She smiled when Lucy laughed, and proceeded to mock him. "I have decided that all those who don't celebrate Christmas shall be arrested!"

"Christmas," Mr. Tumnus sighed. "There hasn't been a Christmas for a hundred years here."

Lucy was shocked. "What? No presents for a hundred years?"

"That's awful," Hannah agreed. "For Hannukah we got one present for each of the eight days. I couldn't imagine life without Hannukah, no matter how much devastation it has caused my family."

She took a sip of the tea the faun poured onto her China. It was sweet and warmed every inch of her body. Hannah continued to drink as he spoke, listening to every word.

"That's how it's been for years," Mr. Tumnus explained. "Always winter. Never Christmas. It's been a long winter, but you would have loved Narnia in the summer. We fauns danced with the dryads all night, and we never got tired."

"It sounds wonderful," Hannah said, dreaming what Narnia would be like in the summer. She imagined what it must've been like for the Narnians. To see brightest apple trees and feel the beautiful sunlight warming her skin.

"It is, especially the music. Such music..." he continued, in a dream like state. "Would you like to hear some now?"

"Yes please," Lucy said.

The girls looked at each other eagerly. Mr. Tumnus smiled and took out his instrument. It was last locked in an old case. Mr. Tumnus unlocked it and took out the wooden instrument. He put his fingers were the holes were carved. To Hannah it resembled a flute-like instrument. She was looking forward to hearing Narnian music, as she never heard it before.

"Now, are you familiar with Narnian lullabies?" Mr. Tumnus asked.

"Sorry, but no," Lucy replied.

"We never heard Narnian music before," Hannah reminded him.

"That's good, because this... probably won't sound anything like one."

He looked a bit hesitant before putting his fingers into position. After taking in one deep breath, he started to play. Almost immediately, Hannah was in a state. The sound the instrument produced was strong, but it was also gentle and soft. She rubbed eyes, trying not to fall asleep, but that was inevitable. Her eyes started to close automatically, like she was hypnotized by the beautiful, dreamy sound. The music lured her into a deep sleep. At that moment she completely gave in. Hannah laid her head against her chair, her body relaxed for what seemed like an eternity.

Her mind was in a blank state, until she heard a scream. It was her Mother; that scene from her nightmares. It was the only sound that woke her up at night. Her heart raced and she opened her eyes, panicking.

She blinked rapidly, trying to get her vision to focus. Hannah suddenly felt cold. The warm fire was gone, replaced by the icy chills. The darkness overwhelmed her, until she saw Mr. Tumnus once again. He seemed to have an upset look on his face, shaking his head and muttering to himself. The only sound she heard were the frightening howls of the wind.

Hannah looked to her right to see Lucy, just as confused. The little girl pulled her by the arm with nervousness. "What happened?" she asked her.

"I don't know," Hannah said, shrugging. "But we should get going."

"It's too late for that now," Mr. Tumnus said, whimpering. "I'm such a terrible faun."

He lied down, trying to stop the tears from falling. Hannah looked at him sympathetically.

"Oh no," Lucy told him. "You're the nicest faun we've ever met."

"Perhaps the _only_ faun is the best way to put it," Hannah said, trying to comfort the faun. "But I'm sure there's no faun as nice as you."

"Then I'm afraid you've had a very poor sampling," Mr. Tumnus said.

Hannah looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You can't have done anything that bad," Lucy added, taking her handkerchief. She handed it to Mr. Tumnus, who looked her in the eyes and let her wipe his tears.

"It's not something I have done, Lucy Pevensie. It's something I'm doing," he told her.

"And what are you doing, exactly?" Hannah asked, nervously.

"I'm kidnapping you two," the faun admitted.

Both girls were taken back. Hannah was speechless at that moment. She wouldn't have guessed that Mr. Tumnus wanted to kidnap her. There _had_ to be some sort of reason behind it. Hannah protectively stood next to Lucy, putting a hand on her shoulder. Lucy's face resembled Hannah's expression perfectly, her eyes were wide with worry, fear, and confusion.

"Mr. Tumnus, you wouldn't," Lucy said, assertively. "I thought you were our friend."

"Please don't hurt us," Hannah begged. "Help us get home."

It seemed like the faun already gave in. He grabbed their hands and they dashed through the chilly woods. The Narnian sky was already darkening, and a chilly wind rushed through Hannah's hair. The sound of her heart beat was very loud and sharp.

"She may already know you're here," Mr. Tumnus warned them. "The woods are full of her spies! Even some of the trees are on her side!"

Hannah turned to question him. "Wait, how could the trees," she ran out of breath to continue. She halted into an abrupt stop. The light of the lamppost glowed in the dark, making the forest seem less eerie.

"Can you find your way back from here?" Mr. Tumnus asked.

"I think so," Lucy said.

Hannah shook her head. "No, we _know_ we can," she said, firmly. "Thank you so much, Mr. Tumnus."

"Will you be alright?" Lucy asked, in concern.

The faun looked at them nervously, his eyes were shiny and watery. Hannah patted him on the shoulder, trying to calm him as he slowly broke down into tears.

"It's alright," the little girl tried to reassure him. Mr. Tumnus wiped his tears with the handkerchief Lucy gave him. He cupped it in his hands and gave it to her, but Lucy declined. "Keep it. You need it more than I do," she told him with a smile.

"No matter what happens, I am so glad I met you two. You have made me feel warmer than I've felt in a hundred years. Now go!"

With those words of farewell, Hannah and Lucy ran towards the path that led to the wardrobe's entrance, leaving the forest behind them.

 **A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait! I was very busy and involved in school, so I was writing on the side. I hope you guys like this chapter! Give a heart or leave a comment if you enjoy this fanfic. I truly do feel motivated to continue when I know there are people enjoying it as much as I love writing it!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Hidden Truth

Hannah nearly tripped as she stepped out of the wardrobe; Lucy was right behind her, shutting the door. The girls ran down the corridor, both eager to tell everyone of their discovery. Hannah assumed that the others already had supper by now.

"We're back! We're alright!" Lucy's shouted.

"There's nothing to worry about, we're-" Hannah was just about to say _alright_ , but the sound of a rather irritated voice interrupted her. "Shut up! He's coming!"

This caused her to raise an eyebrow. The voice belonged to Edmund Pevensie, who was still hiding behind the curtains. _Were they really playing hide and seek for that long?_ Hannah thought. Her question was answered when the sound of light footsteps seemed to be getting louder. She saw the shadow of the eldest boy just around the corridor before he arrived. Edmund glared at the two of them and sighed as Peter, who looked just as confused.

"You know, I'm not sure you three have quite got the idea of this game," Peter said, gently.

"Weren't you wondering where we were?" Lucy asked.

"That's the point!" Edmund stated. "That's why he was seeking you!"

Hannah didn't like his tone of voice. He spoke to her and his sister as if they were stupid. She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm pretty sure I know how to play the game."

"Doesn't look like it," the boy answered back.

Before Hanah was able to retort, Susan appeared from the other side of the corridor, smiling triumphantly. "Does this mean I win?"

"Why don't you ask Edmund," Hannah scoffed. " _He_ seems to know all the rules."

"I don't think Hannah and Lucy want to play anymore," Peter assumed.

Hannah paused for a moment, trying to take everything in. This conversation made her feel nauseous. She knew for a fact that when she and Lucy fell asleep for quite a long time when they were with Mr. Tumnus. It looked like time hasn't passed here at all.

"You're _still_ playing hide and seek?" Hannah scoffed.

"We've been gone for hours…" Lucy added.

The older Pevensies all had puzzled looks on their faces.

"Would you care to explain?" Peter said, gently. He lowered his head at the girl's height level.

Hannah gulped, trying to think of something that made sense, but nothing really made sense at that moment. "Well," she started, hesitantly. "We entered the wardrobe when we were playing hide and seek."

"We ended up in a land called Narnia, that was covered in snow!" Lucy explained, eagerly. "We met a faun called Mr. Tumnus who was supposed to capture us, but he ended up becoming our friend."

"He played a lullaby for us and that caused us to sleep for a long time," Hannah added. "Eventually, he helped us find our way back home. The strange part is, time passed in Narnia, but no time passed here at all!"

As she finished speaking, Hannah realized that everything she said sounded like complete nonsense to the other Pevensies. She didn't blame them. It all seemed like a fictional tale that could've been used to put a child to sleep, but it wasn't a tale at all. This really _did_ happen. The hardest part was proving it.

Lucy led them to the wardrobe, Susan quickly following behind her. She opened it and pushed the furry coats away to one side, making some room for her to go in. She peaked inside the wardrobe, examining the corners. Edmund went around the wardrobe and started knocking on it, looking at Hannah mockingly each time he did. The girl looked away from him, trying to avoid his smug expression.

"You don't need to make us feel worse about it," Hannah told him, harshly.

Edmund immediately stopped without saying a word.

Susan drawed her head out and approached the two girls. "Hannah, Lucy, the only wood in here is in the back of the wardrobe," she said, matter of factly.

Hannah opened her mouth to protest, "But-"

"One game at a time, girls," Peter told them. "We don't all have your imagination, it seems."

Hannah's made a fist. She looked down in frustration and defeat. Peter, Susan, and Edmund started walking out of the spare room. It really seemed like there was no way to convince them. However, deep down, she _knew_ that Narnia was real. She wasn't going to let anyone tell her otherwise.

"But we weren't imagining!" Lucy piped up, causing the others to turn and look at her. They looked at Hannah for confirmation, and she nodded with a smile. The girl was taken back when Peter and Susan sighed, rolling their eyes in annoyance.

"That's enough, Lucy," Susan said, firmly.

"Do you really think we would lie about something like this?" Hannah asked, truly hurt.

"Well, I believe you," Edmund said, his tone of voice suddenly serious.

Hannah looked at him suspiciously, raising her eyebrows. Lucy looked at him, her eyes glowing with hope, but her frown hinted hesitation. "You do?"

"Yeah, of course," Edmund said, with a smirk. "Didn't I tell you about the field in the bathroom cupboards?"

 _I knew it!_ Hannah thought to herself, scoffing. She knew right from he start that whatever the boy was going to say would just make her feel worse. The girl tried to blink the tears from her eyes. "How could you?" she asked.

Peter noticed the girl's tone of voice. It was weak and trembling, like she was about to cry. He glared at Edmund. "Now will you just stop?!" he exclaimed, harshly. "You always have to make everything worse, do you?"

"It was just a joke!" Edmund said, defensively. He turned to Hannah. "You just have no sense of humor."

Peter sighed with frustration. "When are you going to learn to grow up?"

"Shut up!" Edmund shouted. His sudden outburst caused Hannah to step back in surprise. The boy stepped forward with aggression, trying to level up with Peter. "You think you're Dad, but you're not!"

With that, he stormed off. Susan looked at Peter disapprovingly. "Well, that was nicely handled," she said sarcastically, before following the boy's footsteps.

"But it really was there," Lucy mumbled. Her eyes were glossy, as if she was just about to cry.

Hannah shook her head. They weren't the kind children she met a the station. They were the ones that left the little girl in tears.

"Susan's right," Peter said. "That's enough."

The sound of Hannah's voice stopped him from leaving the spare room. "How could you treat each other like this?" she asked, in shock. "You're lucky to even be together as a family!"

Susan returned to the room as she heard the girl's voice, looking at Peter warily. The older Pevensies were taken back by this. Peter tried to reason with her, looking at her with soft, kind eyes. "Well, ours isn't exactly _together_ yet."

"Some don't even have a family waiting for them," Hannah said, before storming off.

The last time Hannah remembered being angry was when she was forced to leave her mother behind. Speaking of her mother, if only she could've cradled into her arms at that very moment. If only she could hear her Mother's soft voice and let her wipe the tears that were leaking from her eyes.

But she couldn't. Now _that_ would've been logical, as Susan would put it.

At that very moment, Edmund Pevensie was in Hannah's bedroom. The pleasant silence lured him there. He didn't want to be around Susan or Lucy or Peter. Luckily for him, Hannah was no where to be found.

There, one thing seemed to have caught his eye: a photograph. It was old and wrinkled, but was fit in a beautifully carved frame. The photo was a picture of a family. There was a little girl with two dark braids and a slightly big nose, smiling brightly while wrapping her arms around an attractive looking couple. His lips formed a small smile at the site of the family, holding onto each other without a care for anything in the world. If only his life could've been that simple, but that was inevitable, with the war going on.

He held the frame in his hands, fiddling with the picture with no care of the material. However, he noticed something odd about the photo when he looked at it twice. His eyes widened when he saw a row of those flag with hooked-crosses. They were German _swatiskas_! He dropped the photo and jumped in shock, causing the photo to slip from his hands.

 _Come on!_ Edmund urged himself, _Catch it!_

It was too late. The frame smashed into pieces, completely ruined and shattered. Rapid footsteps approached the room. Edmund gulped when he noticed who entered the room. He stood face to face with Hannah Grunberg. His heartbeat increased, as her eyes circled around him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, accusingly.

Edmund stepped back a bit. His shoe came in contact with the broken glass, creating a sharp sound. He looked down to avoid her glance. So many thoughts entered his mind that it was impossible to form a sentence. He couldn't come up with an excuse. In fact, he couldn't say anything. His body completely froze in place.

"Well?" Hannah gestured for him to speak.

The boy snapped out of his trance. "Um..." he stuttered.

"Well then, if you won't speak..." Hannah sighed, and pushed him aside.

That was when _she_ became speechless. There she was, standing right in front of a shattered frame. The broken glass surrounded the wrinkled and ripped photograph. Her face grew hot, practically boiling with anger. Hannah couldn't _believe_ what she saw. He _ruined_ the only thing that reminded her of her family.

She bent down, roughly pushing aside the glass. Edmund stepped back, not knowing what to do.

"What were you doing here?" Hannah repeated, only this time she spoke through gritted teeth.

"What do you mean what _I'm_ doing here?" Edmund asked, looking at her warily. "What are you doing here?"

Hannah looked at him, completely clueless. "What do you mean?"

"You know," he spat. "You're a German spy, aren't you?"

Red leaked into her cheeks. She couldn't _believe_ what she was hearing. "Are you mad?"

"No, but you are if you think you could get away with what you're doing!" Edmund retorted.

At that moment, Peter, Susan, and Lucy all rushed into the room. "What's going on?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked at the floor and saw the broken frame and shards of glass on the floor. "Edmund, what did you do?" His tone suddenly grew furious when he saw that his brother was up to no good again.

"I found out the truth," Edmund said, defensively. "All Germans are liars. Hannah probably hypnotized Lucy into telling us the lie about Narnia!"

Peter looked at Edmund as if he wanted to slap him. "Now, don't say that about her, Edmund. You don't know everything about her."

Hannah stepped up, trying to stop herself from trembling with nervousness. "Actually," she spoke, causing the others to turn to her. "He's only partially correct." She gave them a closed mouthed smile. "And we weren't lying."

Lucy ran up to the girl and gave her a tight hug. Susan was about to pull Edmund out of the room before he pushed her hand away. Peter gestured for Susan to leave the room with him, and he let the girls be, closing the door behind him.

"If only they could believe us," Lucy said, after she pulled away.

"Don't worry," Hannah replied with a smile. "I'm sure they will."

"How are you so sure about that?" Lucy asked.

She knelt to her height, looking her in the eyes. "It takes a while for someone to believe that the impossible can be possible."

Hannah walked over to her book shelf and searched through the titles. A memory flashed through her mind when she saw _The Wonderful Wizard of Oz_ written on the book's binding. The Professor told her the exact same thing.

She handed the little girl the book. The cover was in poor condition. It was slightly ripped and bended in the middle. Hannah remembered taking it with her _everywhere_ she went, especially when the Professor had to take her to one of his meetings with his older friends.

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?" Lucy read, but more like she was asking a question.

"It will make you think," Hannah said, knowingly. "Come on."

Hannah took Lucy by the hand, and the two walked out of the room together. There was a hidden truth in the _supposed_ lies they told. They both knew what they saw. The others were just going to have to find out at some point. This left Hannah to wonder what was _really_ taught in those schools?

 **A/N: Thank you for waiting so long for me to upload. I'm just going through some serious stress in school right now. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and if you'd like to give me some fan art, whether they be drawings or edits or even a little poem written for this story, I will be happy to receive it. I have been receiving some art and I have to say, it's an amazing feeling. Stay tuned for the next chapter! Love you guys!**


	6. Chapter 6: BackThroughTheWardrobeAgain

The rest of the day seemed to drag after the predicament. Lucy didn't talk to anyone but Hannah. She couldn't look them in the eye, not even during supper. It was like their fantasy separated them from their sibling's reality. This caused her to question sometimes whether or not Narnia was something they really did just imagine. A winter wood in the back of the Professor's wardrobe? Logically, as Susan would say, that was impossible.

To Hannah, however, it _was_ possible. She learned that a long time ago. It was only a matter of time before they learned the same.

She slept soundly that night. The darkness that surrounded her and the quietness lured her into a deep slumber. It seemed that she was drowning in the softness of her own pillow. Her dreams were that of the Narnian snow she so desperately wanted to touch. Just thinking about it sent chills down her body, causing her to pull the blanket closer.

Suddenly, Hannah felt someone shake her violently. She squinted her eyes because of the light peering into them.

"Five more minutes," she grunted.

"Hannah!" a hyper voice called to her in a whisper. "Hannah! Wake up!"

The girl slowly blinked to clear the blurry vision. In front of her was Lucy in her pink bathrobe, holding a lit candle. She looked down at her feet and noticed that she was wearing rubber boots. Hannah raised an eyebrow at her.

"And where are you going in the middle of the night?" Hannah asked her, speaking as if she was her older sister.

"I couldn't sleep," Lucy admitted. "I kept thinking about Narnia."

"Me too," Hannah sighed.

"That's why I think we should see Mr. Tumnus again," Lucy continued.

"I'm not sure about this Lucy," Hannah said, warily. "Remember what Mr. Tumnus said about the White Witch?"

"Come on!" Lucy begged. "Please?"

Hannah hesitated to answer. As much as she wanted to go back, she didn't want to endanger Mr. Tumnus. She saw how worried he was for them after he tried to kidnap them. Narnia seemed like a dangerous place disguised with its beauty. Even the most unexpected things could be enemies.

That was when Lucy softened her eyes, unleashing her weapon. Of course, it only took a few seconds for Hannah to give in. She quietly got out of bed and reached for the red bathrobe that hung in her closet, followed by the rubber boots she hasn't worn since last winter. She slipped them on before shutting the door behind her.

The girls tiptoed through the hallway, trying to be careful so Ms. Macready didn't catch them. Even though Hannah got to see a different side of her, she still got mad when children didn't behave. Sneaking up in the middle of the night to visit a magical land in a wardrobe was the perfect example.

She followed the light of Lucy's candle. Before entering the spare room, the girl turned her head around, assuming that she heard the sound of footsteps close by. Lucy hesitantly opened the wardrobe door. Hannah felt a cool breeze slap her face. The golden candle light disappeared, darkening the room once more. Lucy flashed a knowing smile at her.

Narnia was waiting for them.

Hannah eagerly entered the wardrobe, letting the heavy smell of fur and dust fill her nose. She couldn't wait to touch the soft snow and drink warm tea with Mr. Tumnus again. She pushed passed the fluffy coats, but the little girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Lucy?" she said, looking around the wardrobe.

"Boo!" a voice shouted from behind her, causing her to jump and land on her back. The snow acted as a blanket. It didn't hurt and it felt like she landed on her own bed. However, it did start to hurt more once she found out _who_ caused her to trip.

Hannah couldn't move. In front of her was Edmund Pevneise, facing her with a surprised look on his face. The boy was just a few inches away from her own body, but he was still close enough that she was able to smell his nasty breath. In fact, Edmund Pevensie couldn't believe himself that Hannah Grunberg prevented him from falling into snow face-first. There was a brief moment of silence as the two of them tried to catch their breath, but Hannah broke it when she pushed the boy away from her, shouting, "Get off of me!"

Edmund quickly stood up, giving room for Hannah to do the same. She brushed the snow off her dark hair. A small smirk stretched across her face when she saw him looking at the scenery in front of him in confusion and awe.

"Do you believe us now?" Hannah asked.

"I think I do," Edmund said, not facing her.

"Good," she said, simply.

Hannah knelt down and cupped a ball of snow into her hands. "It's better than a football field in a bathroom cupboard, isn't it?" she said, mockingly.

He glared at her as she spoke, not wanting to remember the scolding he received earlier. Hannah took this opportunity to strike at him with the snowball. It only took a split second to hit Edmund's face, startling him.

"What was that for?" he complained, angrily brushing the snow off.

"You know," Hannah said, firmly. "For following us!"

"I was just…" Edmund started, trying to think of the right excuse.

"Don't lie," she interrupted. "I knew you were right behind me."

Edmund pursed his lips, knowing he couldn't deny it. He avoided looking at her directly in the eyes, trying to think of the best way to change the conversation. His eyes lit up when he finally thought of a perfect topic. He turned to her and replied with a rather salty tone.

"Don't you think we should look around for my sister?" he asked.

Hannah looked at him with a hint of mockery. Her eyebrows were raised and she smiled cheekily.

"Oh, I never knew you cared about Lucy," she teased.

"Aren't I supposed to?" he retorted, rolling his eyes. "She _is_ my sister after all."

It sounded like they were forced from his mouth as he spoke. This made Hannah assume that he didn't really mean what he was saying. She glanced at him with suspicion.

"It's just that you didn't show it when you teased her," Hannah pointed out.

Edmund sighed. "Stop it, alright?"

Hannah just stared at him when he said that, slowly taken back by his answer. She simply nodded and waited for him to continue. Hannah watched as Edmund's eyes widened with fascination and confusion each time he turned his head to look at the snowy wood. That was when she heard him call out, "Lucy?!"

There was, of course, no answer. Hannah knew exactly where she was. Her cheeks lifted when she smiled, tugging Edmund's arm. "Come on, I know where she is!"

Before Edmund was even able to answer, the two of them heard a sudden sound of multiple high pitched sleigh bells from the distance. The two of them looked up to see what seemed to be a snow flurry carried by a rough wind. On instinct, Hannah moved out of the way and hid behind some large bushes.

Hannah couldn't believe what she saw. In front of her view was a large chariot-like sleigh. A small man with a long, grey beard, charged right at Edmund with a battle cry. The dwarf used a whip to hit his legs, causing Edmund to trip. Her eyes widened in horror as he reached out for a dagger, ready to stab the boy.

"What is it now, Ginarrbrick?" said a woman's voice, with an irritated tone.

"Make him let me go, I didn't do anything wrong!" Edmund panicked.

"How dare you address the Queen of Narnia!" Ginarrbrick demanded, pressing the weapon against his throat.

"I-I didn't know!" Edmund stuttered.

"Well, you shall know her better afterwards!" the dwarf growled, raising his dagger to strike.

Hannah covered her mouth in shock. She couldn't peal her eyes away at the site. Just as the dwarf was about to attack, her heart rate increased.

"Wait!" commanded the same voice from earlier, causing the dwarf to lower his weapon.

A woman turned towards Ginarrbrik and Edmund. Hannah blinked in surprise when she saw her. The woman wore a long, elegant white dress that looked like it could've been made out of the snowflakes themselves. She wore a white fur coat over her shoulders. Nearly pale, curly blonde hair framed the left side of her face. A crown the shape of icicles adorned her head. Hannah stared in awe for a moment at the Witch's beauty.

"What is your name, Son of Adam?" the Witch asked.

"Edmund," the boy replied.

"And how, Edmund, did you manage to enter my domain?" she questioned.

"I'm not sure," Edmund shrugged. "I was just following my sister and her friend-"

"Your sister? Her friend?" the Witch repeated. "How many are you?"

"Five," he said, but soon fixed himself. "Four actually. Hannah is just a friend we met. She and Lucy were the only ones that have been before. They said that they met a faun called," he paused to remember the name. "Tumnus! Peter and Susan didn't believe them."

Hannah couldn't believe Edmund tattled to the White Witch about them and Mr. Tumnus! She glared at him, biting her lips to prevent herself from going over there and yelling at him. She shook her head, listening intently to what the Witch had to say,

"Edmund, you look so cold," the Witch cooed, using a much softer tone of voice than before. "Will you come and sit with me?"

He looked at the dwarf for confirmation, who dragged him towards the sleigh. Edmund climbed onto the sleigh, letting the woman wrap her warm cloak around him. "Now, how about something to drink?" she offered.

"Yes, please, you're Majesty," Edmund said.

The Witch took a silver vial, and turned it over. A small drop of green liquid fell onto the snow. To Hannah's surprise, the snow magically transformed into hot chocolate. She licked her lips, craving a sip of some hot chocolate. She wanted to feel the sweetness and let the warmth sooth her body, because Narnia was very, very cold.

"You're drink, sire," Ginarrbrik said, growling a little.

"How did you do that?" Edmund asked.

 _She's a witch,_ Hannah wanted to say, but she couldn't because she didn't want to blow her cover.

"I can make anything you like," the Witch said.

"Can you make me taller?" Edmund asked, his eyes glowing with curiosity.

Hannah smirked, trying to imagine how the boy would look like if he had his growth spurt. _Perhaps making him taller would make him look better than he does now?_ she thought. She pictured him towering over her, his facial features more lean and defined. When she heard the White Witch's laugh, she snapped out of her trance, shivering in disgust. _What was I thinking?_ she scolded herself.

"Anything you would like to _eat_?" the Witch told him.

"Turkish Delight?" he suggested.

The girl heard a little grumble in her stomach. Turkish Delight was a rare sweet the Professor gave her. It consisted of a fruity jelly substance that was coated with sugar. Hannah had to admit, she was a bit jealous of the special treatment the Witch was giving him, but she had to remind herself that the woman was lying. With just one drop of green liquid, an entire box of Turkish Delight was formed. Edmund took one Turkish Delight and started eating. Hannah saw that little sparkle in his eyes when he started to eat, knowing that he was going to believe everything she told him.

"Edmund, I would very much like to meet the rest of your family,"

"Why?" Edmund asked, with a frown. "They're nothing special."

"Oh, I'm sure they're not as delightful as you are," the Witch replied, matter of factly. She took Ginarrbrik's hat and used it to wipe the powdered sugar off from his lips, tossing it back to the dwarf carelessly, not bothering to look away from Edmund. "But you see, I have no children of my own," she ran her fingers gently through his hair as he continued to eat. "And you are exactly that sort of boy that I could see one day becoming... Prince of Narnia." When she said this, he stared at her in surprise. Hannah couldn't buy anything she was saying because of what Mr. Tumnus told her. That Witch was up to no good. "Maybe even... King."

"Really?" he asked, hopefully.

"Of course, you'd have to bring your family, and that friend of yours."

Edmund sulked in seat, looking at the box of Turkish Delight with a disappointed expression. "You mean, Peter will be King too?"

"No!" the Witch said with a smile. "But a King needs servants."

Those words seemed to have convinced him. His lips curled into a sly grin, but another thought seemed to have crossed his mind. "Why do I need to bring Hannah? She's not family and I don't think I like her as a friend."

The Witch smiled teasingly at those words. "Well, every King _does_ need a Queen."

Hannah furiously shook her head when she heard the White Witch's answer. She noticed that Edmund must've felt the same feeling of disgust when a bright red color appeared on his cheeks, his eyebrows furring with disgust. "No, no!" he said, quickly trying to make things clear. "I didn't mean anything like that."

"I'm sure she'll do very well as another servant then," the Witch said, causing Hannah to grit her teeth in anger.

Edmund ate another piece of Turkish Delight before answering her with a smile. "I guess I could bring them."

Just a few moments later, the White Witch took the box from Edmund and handed it to Ginarrbrik, who shoved one Turkish Delight into his mouth. She turned her attention back to the boy, pointing to a clearing where two mountains covered in snow could be seen. "Beyond these woods, you see those two hills?" Edmund nodded. "My house is right between them." She drew the fur coat from around him. There was a strange sweetness in her tone, something Hannah was very wary about. "You'll love it there, Edmund. It has whole rooms simply stuffed with Turkish Delight."

"Couldn't I have some more now?" he asked, hopefully.

"No!" was the reply, though this time it sounded rather sharp and irritated. This was quickly fixed with a warm smile. "Don't want to ruin your appetite. Besides, you and I are going to be seeing each other very soon, aren't we?"

"I hope so," Edmund said sincerely, stepping down from the sleigh-like carriage. "You're Majesty."

"Until then, dear one," she smiled, turning to fully lean her back against her seat. Ginarrbrik sat on the front seat, grabbing a hold of the reigns that were attached to the white reindeer. "I'm going to miss you." With one glare, she signaled the dwarf to drive again. Ginarrbrik sharply flicked on the reigns, frightening the poor animals. The creatures picked up the pace and quickly pulled the carriage away. The friction caused the snow to wildly dance behind it. Soon the jingling sound of the bells was dimly heard, and the Witch was nowhere in sight.

Once it was quiet, Hannah cautiously walked over to a dazed Edmund, who seemed to be thinking about the White Witch's offer. He was staring at the two mountains she pointed out to him earlier, a clear hint that he wanted to see her again.

"Edmund?" she called out to him.

Her voice startled the boy, causing him to jump and rapidly turn to her. Hannah was just three feet away from him, looking at him with a sincerely concerned expression.

"What?" he said, rudely.

"What were you doing with the White Witch?" Hannah asked, accusingly.

Edmund's face turned pale. His eyes darted around. He suddenly became nervous and his mouth was dry, not knowing how to respond. That was when it hit him. Surely that couldn't have been the same woman, right? He composed himself and simply asked, "Who?"

"You know," Hannah said, like it was obvious. "That lady you were talking to."

His heartbeat increased. _She knew!_ he thought to himself, alarmed. "H-how much did you hear?"

"Everything," she stated.

"So?" he shrugged.

"'So?'" Hannah repeated. "Don't you realize that you're putting all of us in danger?"

"It didn't sound like she wanted to hurt anyone," Edmund said, defending his claim.

"She's up to no good, Edmund," she warned. "I could feel it."

Hannah tried to sound sincere, but she wasn't sure if all that was going to convince him. Just as she spoke, there was a sudden sound of crunching snow. It was very soft and distant at first, but soon enough it sounded like someone was really walking towards them. Their bodies tensed, and they remained quiet. There was a rustling sound against the bushes, and Hannah swore she heard a hyper, child-like voice call out to her.

"Hannah?"

The girl smiled. A shadowy figure confirmed that the voice belonged to no one other than Lucy Pevensie.

"Hannah!" Lucy exclaimed, right when she saw her. She ran up to her and gave her a tight hug. "Where were you?"

"I got lost," Hannah lied. "But then I found your brother."

Lucy almost didn't realize that her brother was there until she saw him. She cocked her brow, "Edmund?" she asked, but then she ended up hugging him as well. Hannah couldn't believe how the little girl could have forgiven her brother so quickly. Nonetheless, she was glad he was forgiven, even though Hannah knew she wouldn't be able to forgive him yet. "Oh, Edmund! You got in too! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Is Mr. Tumnus alright?" Hannah asked.

"Yes, he's fine!" Lucy reassured her. "The White Witch hasn't found out anything about him meeting us!"

This caused Hannah to turn to Edmund with a piercing glare, one that almost made him uncomfortable. Her dark eyes stared into his own, as if she was giving him a nonverbal threat. He tried to purposefully by focusing on his sister. "What's with this White Witch character?" he asked cautiously, wiping some powdered sugar off his lips.

Lucy leaned in, like she was telling him a secret. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia, but she really isn't," she explained, almost in a whisper. She noticed Edmund was shifting uncomfortably while he stood in front of her. "Are you alright? You look awful."

"Well, what do you expect?" he scowled, folding his arms and pulling them closer to his chest. "I mean, its freezing! How do we get out of here?"

"Come on," Lucy said, taking him by the arm. She turned to Hannah with a smile, taking her by the hand.

The three of them walked past the lamppost, the bright light started to get dimmer and dimmer as they followed the path to the wardrobe. Lucy rapidly pushed through the thick clothes, holding onto the two of them tightly. Hannah struggled to follow behind. Lucy hurried to the boys' bedroom, swung the door open, and turned on the light. She ran over to Peter's bed and jumped on him. "Peter, wake up! Wake up!" she cried with excitement, causing the eldest brother to groan. "It's there!, it's really there!"

Hannah and Edmund followed the sound of her voice. Susan tagged along, confused as to what her sister had to wake their brother up for.

"What are you talking about?" Peter groaned, sounding raspy and tired.

"Narnia!" Lucy exclaimed. "It's all in the wardrobe like I told you!"

"Oh, you've just been dreaming Lucy," Susan said, sternly.

"But I haven't!" she said, smiling brightly. "I saw Mr. Tumnus again! And this time, Hannah _and_ Edmund went too!'

Peter turned to Hannah for confirmation, raising his eyebrows at her. She nodded and answered with, "She's telling the truth."

He turned to Edmund this time. "You saw the Faun?"

They all focused their attention towards the younger boy. Hannah especially, staring at him with the piercing glare she gave him earlier. Edmund shook his head without saying anything.

"Well," Lucy said, climbing off Peter's bed. "Hannah got lost, and Edmund didn't really go there with me..." she looked at her other brother, completely confused. "What were you doing there, Edmund?"

Hannah stepped forwards, trying to think of something to say. "I was showing him around," she said, quickly. "Remember?"

She turned to Edmund, hopefully. He sighed, not knowing what to say. Hannah nudged him with her elbow, whispering, "Say something!"

After a moment's pause, he spoke. "I-I was just playing along," he said with a shrug. "I'm sorry, Peter. I shouldn't have encouraged them. You know what little children are like these days," Edmund laid his back against the wall, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "They just don't know when to stop pretending." He looked at Hannah, and she felt a sense of coldness towards her. "And when to stop fraternizing with the enemy."

By the time he finished, Lucy's eyes were welled up in tears. They effortlessly leaked down her face. She ran out of the room, not daring to look anyone in the eye.

"Lucy!" Hannah called out, but the little girl didn't turn her head. She just kept running. Hannah wanted to say so many things to Edmund, but her mouth couldn't form those words. She couldn't even glare at him. Instead, she ignored his malicious smile and ran after his sister. Susan shook her head disapprovingly, and Peter shoved Edmund, causing him to land on his bed roughly.

She followed Lucy through the hall, knowing that Peter and Susan were right behind her. Lucy didn't stop until she bumped into the Professor, who looked down at her for a moment in confusion. Hannah stopped in her tracks, watching Lucy bury her face into the Professor's chest.

"Professor, I can explain-" Hannah started, wanting to explain what was going on, but was interrupted by the sound rapid footsteps storming up to them. Ms. Macready's eyebrows were furred. Her glasses were crooked and her hair was down, with a pink nightgown wrapped around her.

"You children are one shenanigan shy of sleeping in the stable," she muttered. She pursed her lips when she saw the Professor look at her with a puzzled look on his face. Ms. Macready changed her attitude, and spoke in a calmer tone than before. "Oh, Professor! I'm sorry, I told them you were not to be disturbed," she apologized, glancing at Hannah. "Hannah knows that very well."

"It's alright, Ms. Macready," the Professor reassured her. "I'm sure there's an explanation, but I think this one is in need of some hot chocolate."

"Yes, Professor," she replied, gesturing to the Lucy. "Come on, dear."

Wanting to avoid any confrontations, Hannah tried to follow them. "Allow me to assist you," she said quickly, before being stopped by the Professor. When he cleared his throat, she, Susan, and Peter were told to follow him. The three of them followed the Professor to his study room without saying a word. There were loose papers with scribbles and books splattered on his work desk. There was an awkward silence between them until he reached for some tobacco and placed it in a pipe.

"You seem to have upset the internal balance of my housekeeper," the Professor said, calmly.

"We're sorry, sir. It won't happen again," Peter said, almost as if he was in a hurry. He tried to pull Susan and Hannah by their arms, but they stayed put.

"It's our sister, sir. Lucy," Susan said.

"The weeping girl?" he guessed.

"Yes, sir," she said. "She's upset."

"Hence the weeping."

"It's nothing. We can handle it," Peter said in protest, looking at his sister reassuringly.

"I can see that," the Professor said, sarcastically.

Susan sighed, frustrated. "She thinks that she and Hananh found a magical land."

"We really _did_ find a magical land in the upstairs wardrobe," Hannah said, with frustration.

At this, Professor Kirke looked up at her, his eyes widening. There was a hint of sincerity in them, as if he knew something. He immediately stood up, guiding Hannah and the older siblings to the red sofa by the fireplace. "What did you say?"

"The wardrobe upstairs," Peter explained. "She thinks they found a forest inside."

Hannah rolled her eyes. " _Stop_ using that word!"

"See?" Susan acknowledged me. "They won't stop going on about it."

The older man sat on his knees, leaning forward to hear every detail. "What was it like?"

Hannah was taken back by his question, unsure of how to answer. However, before she could open her mouth, Susan interrupted her.

"Like talking to a pair of lunatics!" she exclaimed.

This caused the girl to give her a dry look. "Thanks, Susan."

"No, no, no, not them," the Professor said, dismissively. "The forest."

Susan and Peter blinked at him in shock, surprised of his answer. Hannah smiled and looked up, trying to picture the forest. "It was the most beautiful forest you could ever imagine," she gushed. "Evergreen trees were covered in the softest snow and the air was so crisp."

The Professor leaned forward when she spoke, listening intently to every word that came from her mouth. This caused the Pevensie siblings to question him. They cocked their eyebrows as the girl gave him every detail about Narnia.

"Then we met a Faun called Mr. Tumnus who gave us little cakes and sardines, and he played a beautiful lullaby," she finished.

"You're not saying you believe her?" Peter asked.

"You don't?" the Professor countered.

"Of course not," Susan said. "I mean, logically it's impossible."

"You never know unless you believe that the impossible is possible," Hannah said, remembering a quote the Professor once told her himself. This caused him to smile at her knowingly.

"But the impossible can't be possible," Susan tried to explain to the girl.

Professor Kirke leaned back in his seat, sighing. "What do they teach in schools these days?" he muttered, before turning to them again. "I know that Hannah wouldn't lie about something like this."

"Edmund said that they were only pretending," Peter said.

"And he's usually the more truthful one, is he?" he asked him.

"No…" Peter said, looking a bit hesitant. "This would be the first time."

"Well, if I know for a fact that Hannah wouldn't lie, and your sister isn't mad, and she's not lying either, then _logically_ ," he looked at Susan, causing her to frown, "you can assume they're telling the truth." Professor Kirke took a match and swiped it briskly across the matchbook to light his pipe.

"So you're saying we should just believe her?" Peter asked.

"She's your sister, isn't she? If Hannah believes her, then shouldn't you as well? You're a family!" Peter and Susan looked at each other as he spoke. The Professor took a puff of his pipe. "You might just try acting like one. You are very lucky," he glanced at Hannah sympathetically, "there are some who may not have a family to turn to."

For a second, the siblings looked at the girl curiously. Hannah looked down and ran off to her room, the memory of her mother once again plaguing her mind. Her heart felt heavy, like it was weighing her down. When she lay in her bed, she lifted her pillow and grabbed a small note curled up in a ball. It was a letter. The last letter she received from her mother:

 _Dear Hannah,_

 _I was hoping to bring good news to you, but things are just not going in our favor. I'm afraid that this is the very last letter I'll be able to write to you, my Liebling. I haven't heard from your Father at all, and I'm getting worried that something will happen to me too. I know how awful it has been for you to leave your home, but a mother's greatest blessing is to know that her child is safe. I need that light during this time of darkness, Hannah. You will help keep me alive._

Hannah pressed the letter against her heart. She desperately wanted to hear her mother's voice again. She wanted to be called _liebling_ , and have her mother's hand gently caress her hair. If she were here, she would probably do all of those things, and also remind Hannah that believing was a powerful thing, that having faith made you stronger.

She slid the letter back in under her pillow, a single tear sliding down her right cheek. Hannah slowly pulled the covers over her shoulders. Once the first tear broke free, it was only a matter of time before the rest followed in an unbroken stream. She didn't stop them from falling. This wasn't the first time she cried herself to sleep.

 **A/N: Thank you so much for those who posted reviews! My biggest dream has always been to become a writer, and I think that fanfiction is a good way to improve your skills. I like hearing what you think about the fanfic because it helps me improve. I'm going to update twice because I don't want the fanfiction to fall back on an updating schedule. You can also find To Be Brave on Quotev and Wattpad.(As a side note, the title was too long so I couldn't use space bars. I didn't want to rename the chapter).  
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